DARJEELING SIGHTSEEING

Tiger Hill

The highest spot in the area (2590m) is Tiger Hill, 11 kms from Darjeeling near Ghoom. The hill affords glorious dawn views over Kanchenjunga and other eastern Himalayan peaks. Close by is Senchal Lake which, at a height of 2448m, supplies Darjeeling with its domestic water. It is a particularly scenic area and popular as a picnic spot with Indian holiday-makers.

Kanchenjunga View

At 8598m, this is the world's third highest mountain. From Darjeeling, the best uninterrupted views of it are from Bhan Bhakta Sarani. The name Kanchenjunga is derived from the Tibetan Khang (snow), chen (big), dzong (fortress or treasury) nga (five) - big five peaked snow fortress, or big five peaked treasury of the snow.

Ghoom

Called Sakya Monastery, the monastery in Ghoom is located 8 km from Darjeeling. Sakya monastery is a historic as well as significant monastery of the Shakya Order. The original monastery was built during the early twentieth century.

The monastery can accommodate around sixty monks. The statue of Maithreya Buddha (meaning “The Coming Buddha), which is 4.57 meter high, of this monastery is of interest here. The monastery also preserves some of the rarest Buddhist manuscripts.

Batasia Loop and the War Memorial

About 5 kms. from Darjeeling, this loop is almost one of the greatest attraction among the journey. Here the railway line descends 1,000 ft in altitude making a circle. Not only for the passengers, but also looking from outside gives a spectacular view of toy train having magnificent view of Darjeeling town with the Kanchenjunga mountain at its backdrop. One War memorial at Batasia Loop represents the martyrs of Darjeeling who died for the country since Independence in 1947.

Japanese Temple

The Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple, Charlimont started in 1972. In 1992 the Japanese Peace Pagoda was inaugurated. It commands an excellent view of the town and the Himalayan range.

Lalkothi

Lalkothi is the Secretariat of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. The Council House is located amidst beautiful surroundings and commands a fabulous view of the town and the mountains.

Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum is comprises a expounding and extensive collection of the fauna of the region. The specimens are put on show in true to life viewpoint of all birds species, reptiles and animals found in the different altitudes in the Eastern Himalayas.

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

Darjeeling is the place of picturesque beauty and ultimate tranquility for the visitors. Tourists from all across the world visit the place for the scenic beauty.

The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling was established in the 14 th August, 1958. The main objective of the zoo is to preserve the endangered species of animals. The zoo is situated at an elevation of about 2133.5 meters. The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling is also dedicated towards conserving several endangered varieties of Himalayan fauna.

The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park at Darjeeling houses a number of endangered species named Red Panda, Tibetan Wolf, the Siberian Tiger and Snow Leopard. Captive breeding programs are undertaken in order to preserve the Red Panda. The Himalayan Black bear is an old resident of the zoo. The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling is a well-known center for captive breeding, with great care taken by the authorities during the entire breeding and raising process.

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) was established in Darjeeling, as a step to organize the growing craze in the filed of mountaineering, after the ascent of Tenzing Norgay on Mt. Everest. This institute was founded in 1954, at the personal initiative of Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. The institute was initially located at Roy Villa, on Lebong Cart Road. It was shifted to current location, on the western spur of Jawahar Parbat, in 1958 and today, it stands perched at an altitude of 6,800 ft. The first principal of this institute was Late Major N.D. Jayal and its first Director for Field Training was the legendary mountaineer, Tenzing Norgay.

Tea Garden

Darjeeling Tea considered to be finest tea in the world especially when it came to aroma and delicacy of taste, named the "Champagne of the East", not only has tea formed the backbone of the economy in the region, but 'Darjeeling' and 'excellent tea' have become synonymous. Out of over seventy tea gardens in the area, Happy Valley Tea Estate is the nearest to Darjeeling town and a view of its gardens is included in most of the sightseeing tours. If you are in Darjeeling a visit to any nearby Tea Garden to watch the actual process of the manufacturing of Darjeeling Tea is worth it.

Lebong Race Track

Lebong Race Track is the smallest and the highest racetrack in the world. Races are held here regularly on the military parade ground under the management of the Gymkhana Club. Eight kilometers from Chowrastha, the racing season is from May- June and October-November.

Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre

Darjeeling has some interesting places to watch the local handicrafts being made as well as a various range of choiced handicraft souvenirs. The Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre is a self-supporting Centre for Tibetan refugees which manufactures some intriguing Tibetan handicrafts. Established for the rehabilitation of Tibetan refugees who had followed the Dalai Lama to India in early 1959. It offers a wide choice of Tibetan handicrafts, Tibetan woollen carpet is very popular.

Victoria Falls

At a short distance away from the Railway Station, downward to the south, are the stunningly beautiful Victoria Falls created by the Kalijhora, a small stream. From a distance 100 feet high, it gushes down over a precipitous crag, and rushes down to the valley below, through deep ravines to Sidrapong. There is ferro-concrete bridge over the stream. At Sidrapong Power Station, at an elevation of 3,500 ft above sea level and 3,300 ft below Darjeeling, down in the west, the waters of the Victoria Falls are harnessed for generating the electric supply for Darjeeling, and its suburbs. It is the first Hydel Project in India.

Darjeeling Rangeet Valley Passenger Ropeway

The Darjeeling Ropeway connects Darjeeling with the little Rangeet Valley. The 4,620 foot span is the biggest and a record for India. From an elevation of 7,000 ft, in Darjeeling's North Point, a bi-cable passenger ropeway, carrying six at a time, in a boxed car, descends to 800 feet at Singla. This thrilling ride is on the first bi-cable passenger-carrying ropeway and the largest of its kind in Asia. Starting at the terminus station of St. Joseph's College in North Point, the closed cabin swings above yawning gaps, filled with spurs, dense forests, mountain ridges, water-falls, flowing silvery rivers, green valleys & tea gardens and then reaching Rangeet Valley.

Happy Valley Estate

Happy Valley Tea Estate is a tea cultivation ground in Darjeeling district, West Bengal. The estate was established in the year 1854 by David Wilson, an Englishman, who had named the garden Wilson Tea Estate and by 1860 had started cultivation of tea. In 1903, Happy Valley Tea Estate was taken over by an Indian, Tarapada Banerjee, an aristocrat from Hooghly. In 1929, Tarapada Banerjee bought the Windsor tea estate and merged another nearby estate and gave the name Happy Valley tea estate.

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